Someone was already waiting for me on the boat by the shore, as if they'd been there for ages. The vessel rocked gently against the dock, its polished wood gleaming under the moonlight like the bones of some long-dead sea creature.
As I drew closer, I recognized Carole standing at the bow, waving at me. Her movements were precise, economical—not the casual greeting of a friend, but the calculated signal of someone who'd rehearsed this moment.
Moonlight shimmered on the sea, casting silvery glints that accentuated her cold, almost sinister face. The reflection danced across her sharp cheekbones, making her appear carved from marble rather than flesh. Her gaze was razor-sharp, piercing through my soul as if reading every turbulent emotion within me. I halted, scanning the surroundings warily. The dock's wooden planks creaked beneath my weight, the sound unnaturally loud in the pre-dawn stillness.
